Facial Swellings from Covid - Anyone Else?

[Jimminey]

I've had Covid twice with common, unpleasant symptoms, and these went. But I have continued swellings on my face - above the eyelids, sides of nose, turbinates inside nose, and lower lip - which with the continual headache and substantial loss of taste and smell is presumably classed as Long Covid.

My GP and rheumatologist have not come across such swellings before as a result of Covid. I have not come across them googling.

Has anybody else here had similar symptoms?

I am on sulphasalazine and sarilumab and had antivirals both times within 5 days of symptoms of Covid developing. The swellings have lasted for 48 weeks (lower lip) and 12 weeks (the rest). My RA is 'in remission'.

Any experience from fellow inflicteds or any information at all about this would be very much appreciated as I am somewhat concerned. Or should I be?

[oldtimer2]

I've not seen any reports of this type of swelling with Covid19 infections. I'd be looking for another diagnosis.

[Jimminey in reply to oldtimer2]

Thanks for your reply.

Both times the swellings started immediately when I had the first symptoms of Covid. The GP has been looking for other causes but to no effect yet.

I believe there's still a lot of unknowns with Covid.

[medway-lady]

Not sinusitis?

[Jimminey in reply to medway-lady]

Thanks for your reply.

My sinuses aren't affected.

The swellings started immediately on getting Covid and I've read there's still a lot of unknowns regarding Covid.

[medway-lady in reply to Jimminey]

It was just a thought and a lot of stuff about Covid is still to be researched.

[EFC64]

Hi sorry late reply, I was great on sulphasalazine, no symptoms to report, just I noticed my platelets where up and down, off medication back on after 3+ weeks, when platelets settled, immunizations for covid all good, thank god never had covid, 🤞, hope this helps 😊

[Jimminey in reply to EFC64]

Thanks for your reply. I've never had significant problems with my bloods on sulfasalazine, just a susceptibility to food poisoning and now these mysterious swellings. It also worked well on the RA for 5 years but then 'wore off' somewhat, and I tried methotrexate which apparently did little except make me feel ill, and I'm now on sarilumab (started after the first bout of Covid) as well as sulfasalazine - which is working well.

[EFC64]

Your welcome, I've been under rheumatology for 23 years, been on them all , now on Rinvoq October 2021, and it's amazing all my swollen joints and lumps , are feeling tremendous, feeling like a new woman, 😀

[Jimminey in reply to EFC64]

I wish I had your knack of avoiding covid! All the best.

[EFC64]

To be honest I just continue to wear my mask, alcohol wipes in the car , etc even though I lost my daughter in September 2022, I was around her all times and she had covid 6 times, not once did I catch it , my daughter use to say, MUM , your a carrier not a receiver, maybe I'm immune to it, ,,,,, all the best, any other help you need, don't hesitate message me,

[Poshcards]

i avoid covid by not going out in enclosed places, but very rarely go out and never had COVID x

[Blackberrywine]

Are you sure it's due to covid and not a reaction to something else? Interestingly I've experienced eye issues and my eyelids are swollen from blepheritis. Not covid related though. Seems to be a lot of eye issues around atm. Hope you find and answer.

[catapault]

My sympathies - how very nasty for you. I have not suffered the facial swellings that you describe but I suffered other effects while on Sulfasalazine ... Recurrent UTIs (not cultured by GP) led to 6 hospitalisations with sepsis .... it was generally thought to be some sort of chest infection or pneumonia although the diagnoses were always vague. On my last admission to Kingston Hospital I was immediately taken off Sulfasalazine which, I later discovered, causes lung problems - I am now left with fibrosis of my L lung with plaques on my R. Under observation by Consultant. If you Google this drug it will become clear that lung problems are a side effect . If only my Rheumy/GP had read the Google information I might have been spared the sepsis much earlier.... Ho hum. It's a hazard choosing the right medication ... Sorry to have been of no help to you but maybe this might be of interest to others. Currently I am on no meds except for 4mg Prednisolone daily.

[JenniferW]

My husband and I had covid not long ago, then we got insect bites on a walk and they swelled up and took ages to heal compared to normal. My husband reacted badly and then got quite a lot of spots, the teenage sort, in his forties! I had a few, but am menopausal anyway.

Each variant of covid seems to have some weird side effect. I hope you feel better soon.

[Jimminey]

Thank you for your reply. Very interesting. I've also reverted to my teens in terms of spots - but that's the sulfasalazine in my case!